The Madness Returns
by Existancewithasmile
Summary: Alice is returning to Wonderland on account of her "lost imagination." How can she decide what to do with a family waiting for her to come home again? And the Hatter can't possibly mean forever when he tells her to stay, can he? TEMPORARILY DISBANDED.
1. Shall I join you for tea?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland.**

It happened one day unexpectedly.

A slight breeze picked up the weary grass, and they danced most gloriously together. The petite house wore its best for the occasion; a set of lacy curtains to every window, as if it was dressing to impress even the sunlight. Outside, a long table had been laid. Eight places boasted small sandwiches and cakes, and red and violet teapots bloomed amidst the newly shined silverware, vainly proclaiming their beauty.

A lady sat and bowed her head slightly, swaying as if she was made of porcelain- and to be sure, her looks could have easily matched that of a doll's. Finished, she corrected the slight slump of her shoulders automatically, and adjusted her hat to better shield her eyes from the sun that threatened to colour her pale-white skin, and to bleach her golden hair.

Oddly enough, her eyes misted a little as she swept her gaze slowly down the table, almost as if she was searching for someone. But no one was present, and she then moved on to the task of eating the teacake in front of her. "Oh," her voice whispered softly, "I do so very much wish Dinnah was here. Although I cannot confirm that she would enjoy the tea; it does seem to be a bit strong for my liking, much more so, I suppose, for hers."

"Not for mine, dear Alice." She visibly jumped a little when she heard another's voice- she had not expected anyone to join her that afternoon, especially while her mother was away to Paris.

"Yeah almo' needs a wee bit o' strengthen'n oup."

She allowed the tiniest of smiles to creep up her cheeks as she proceeded to watch the Mad Hatter and March Hare inhale tea and pastries at an absolutely terrifically rapid pace. Crumbs flying every which way, she shook her head a little at their antics. After all, she had grown accustomed to drinking her tea alone and was now pleasantly amused that she had someone to share it with.

It had been quite a few years, but she hadn't forgotten just yet the first tea she had shared with her friends. Perhaps it was only after three years had passed and no one had come to take her back that she had wanted to start forgetting. Her memories were long to fade, some returning to dust and others stubbornly clinging on, willing her to remember. She had finally made a little box in her mind that she carefully laid away all memories of Wonderland so she would not be distracted by them in her now little than ordinary life. Folding them carefully, she ironed the more wrinkled ones, stroking them gently as she tried to let them go.

Noting a silence, she glanced up from her dusty memories and saw that the March Hare had stopped eating for a moment. He was mumbling something under his breath and fingering the well worn patterns on the cup. "Ya use it oft'n ah shou'dn't wond'a", he remarked out loud.

"Indeed. These cups do look well used. Pray tell, Miss Alice, do you enjoy tea very much?"

For a moment, she wondered if it was somehow a veiled insult, but she brushed the thought away and answered him. "Well, you know that when one is often by themself, they begin to make odd habits to pass the time. You of all people should know this to be true, Hatter. And if you must know, although I had wondered if you mightn't have already guessed, I do love tea very much. It reminds me of a lovely childhood."

He stared at her with unwavering eyes. After clearing his throat, he began. "I do believe it to be true that you are wondering why we are here."

"To be sure."

"Wel' ahm here fo' th' food if'n ya doun't mand me sayin' so."

"Yes, he did wish to accompany me for that reason. Unfortunately, the cat shall not be joining us this evening. I did invite him but he was preoccupied with other matters." He straightened his lopsided hat. You know Alice, we came here for you."

"Mmm..." She mused. "I shouldn't wonder that you came for the tea too. Ah well, I have decided to forget all about Wonderland."

"Forget about Wonderland!" Hatter nearly shouted. He rose quickly out of his chair and knocked over his tea cup. A deep purple stain began to spread over the white lace. "My dear, you can't just decide to forget- it simply is impossible!"

Alice sat in her chair quietly and calmly. Dabbing at the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief, she explained.

"The fact of the matter is, Hatter, I cannot afford to believe in such things anymore. All these memories have brought me is disgrace and embarrassment- I cannot talk to decent people, they all think that I have gone mad. Civilized life shuns me. How do you expect me to live here comfortably if I do not forget the place that forced this upon me?"

"Why Alice," he exclaimed with upbeat enthusiasm, "I do not expect you to live here at all!" He slowly pushed back his chair, then rushed to her side, hastily ignoring her widened looks of disbelief.

"Come, let me take you back." Pulling her chair out for her quickly, she grabbed onto his hand and willingly rose to her feet.

Being the shorter of the two, she had to look up into his eyes, but even then she had trouble meeting them. "Hatter," she began, "I cannot go with you- I need to stay here."

"And why is that, Miss Alice?" He questioned.

"I... am engaged."

_Author's Note_

Please review!

If a bunch of people just read the first chapter, and then refuse to read any more (I know this is happening), I would like to know why.

Is it a problem with the setting, or perhaps the characters?

Is it because I suck as a writer?

Please spend a little time letting me know your thoughts.

I appreciate it.

It's always an adventure with Alice.


	2. Imagination is the key

**Disclaimer: Yes, I believe we all know that I do not own Alice in Wonderland.**

He stood there, still holding her hand, and the little boyish excitement had flown out of his eyes. She questioned him. "Hatter, are you well?"

Clearing his throat he smiled for her, wishing she could have given any other excuse. "Ah, Alice I am so glad to hear you say that. Congratulations!" Glancing down at her hand that he still held, he squeezed it a little as if to remind himself where he was and dropped it suddenly, trying to shake off old memories. He glanced in the direction of the March Hare who had stopped and sighed, placing the teacup he was drinking out of back on the saucer with a dull clink.

"I suppose you might be a little interested as to why these events have unfolded."

"Please, Alice, tell us dear," he spoke tiredly, and dreading what was about to be said.

"Don't be angry with me. You can't be for long, you know." Smiling a little, she brought back memories of a time when they were both young and less worried.

"I know, dear Alice. Please, explain yourself." His lips asked her to, his eyes spoke of the sadness that would be brought if she did, but his heart thudded dully in his chest, awaiting the inevitable.

She shuffled her hands a bit and seemed nervous discussing her life away from Wonderland. "Well, as you know, I never was invited back, and I cannot be the one to jump down the rabbit hole- someone must fetch me. I tried several times but it acted like a normal hole would- with an end. So I was satisfied with waiting. It was three years. You cannot believe the horror that I went through in school. They all laughed at me when I tried to tell them about the things we did there. How could I continue to believe you would come when they told me that I was just dreaming everything and no such place existed? I... I think I lost my imagination." Here she looked away from him and he thought he saw a small trickle of tears before she wiped them away.

"But Alice, you still do have that imagination," he countered. Looking less like his old self, she noticed he had changed quite a bit and was now radiating enthusiasm- she couldn't help but catch onto a little of it. "Your imagination is like a bird, waiting to be set free, flying to the greatest heights and soaring above what is normal here. You never lost your imagination like you so fervently believe- it never left you!" He spoke with such conviction that she could not help but wonder where he acquired this ability to make her heart soar. She knew this was what she wanted to hear and suddenly past doubts fell away as she prodded the new information mentally.

"Are you absolutely sure? Why do you want me back so suddenly after leaving me here for so long?"

"That is not a matter of importance at this time. What matters is that you will come back, that you want to come back. I will not forcibly take you, Alice."

"I do wish to go back… Perhaps for old times' sake. You know that I cannot leave forever, now that I am engaged." He staggered back. "What is the matter?"

"Alice dear, you are slowly losing your imagination. I did not want to be the one to tell you this but if you do not come back to Wonderland, you will lose any traces that you had left. There is no other way. If you stay here, you will die. Imagination is something that must be kept up and if a child had a large amount of it, they must remain with a decent amount as an adult. Growing up to have no imagination..." He paused as he watched her sway back and forth ever so slightly. Her eyes started to half lid of their own accord and her eyes rolled back into her head. Gasping, her knees buckled beneath her and he ran forward to catch her before she landed on the ground. Glancing at the March Hare he spoke quickly. "We must go back immediately; I fear it is too late."

_Author's Note_

Questions, comments, concerns? Good, good, moving on.

It's always an adventure with Alice.


	3. Enter Alice

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland. If I did, I would visit.**

Carrying her gently, the Hatter trod softly towards the forest, the March Hare trailing behind as if following a funeral precession. Their dear Alice- half-dying in this world and torn between the feelings for her betrothed and the Hatter- could not understand why he had come back. After all, that day she had left Wonderland for the final time, it had been a somewhat somber affair.

"_Hatter, I'll be heading back now." She smiled her usual dimple-inducing grin, but stopped when she noticed he refused to respond. "Hello?" Tentatively reaching out, she lightly touched his shoulder and a small ripple went through his crouching body, though she hadn't seen it as he was facing away. Shaking, he turned swiftly and she could plainly see the rage written across his face. She quickly pulled her hand away, but he snatched it in his own and rose quietly, his livid fury burning behind his eyes- now turned red. He had become dangerous, that much she knew._

_That was the problem with the Mad Hatter- when he did indeed become angry, his mild eyes lost all traces of sanity and he began to act as if he was a crazed soul, one that should be locked up. It was, of course, nothing but a temper tantrum to Alice who would calm him before he launched things at nearby targets, and stop him from insulting everyone within sight. Indeed, before he had met Alice, no one had dared come near that little house in the forest where the apprentice to the hatter lived- they all whispered he was mad, thus his name was born, though it was truly a cruel nickname. Orphaned, abandoned- what were they to do with a rude young man who showed no promise in life but to make hats? Even the old hatter, on his off days, was wary of the lightening-fast fury that waited behind the calm appearance of his apprentice. _

_Why he had taken on that boy no one was able to quite discern, although it was true that he looked at the young Hatter as his own boy, treating him like a son even though it had no effect on the lad. There was; however, no stopping that anger of his, and it was on one of those days of rage and frustration that he stumbled upon the rabbit hole._

_In a blinding hurry, Hatter tore through the forest, wishing to escape the judging eyes of everyone. He stumbled in his haste and fell into a patch of brambles, his top hat tumbling away on a sudden gust of wind. Silently furious, he jumped after the elusive headwear and tracked it into a grove of trees where he watched it sail into a hole. Screaming, he was prepared to jump in after it when a voice from behind stopped him- "I wouldn't do that if I were you."_

"_And why not?" He answered with a steely undertone to his voice. Hopping mad, he was ready to rip the head off of anyone who was interfering. _

"_You don't even know where you are, do you? As a matter of fact, how did you even manage to come here?" The voice seemed to mock him and Hatter's fury soared to even higher heights._

"_My. Hat. Brought. Me." Speaking jarringly, he turned to face a small white rabbit who was dressed oddly in a tuxedo and coattails, carrying a pocket watch loosely in his paw. _

"_Ah I see. You are one of the few then that is able to come to this place freely then." He glanced at the watch. "Oh dear, best not be late!"_

"_Late. Late for what?" _

"_Oh ho ho, the tea party of course!" Stunned by the rabbit's comment, he was somehow led to a clearing where a long table was set for tea. His anger had mostly dissipated, but he wasn't sure where the tea had come from- it had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Just wait, I'll bring the guest of honour!"_

"_Guest…Of honour..?"_

"_Just wait, you'll see."_

_That was the first time he had met Alice, walking through the overhanging branches in her dress, running after that obnoxious rabbit that was very unhelpful. Of course he had waited to see who the guest would be, but he didn't think it would be an outsider- they were indeed special. When Alice saw the table- and him- she collapsed into one of the chairs and politely asked where she was and if she could have some of the tea. They spoke for a little while about the oddities of the white rabbit, then Alice left and moved on to other things. It wasn't long before he was mad again; mad at that stupid little fluffy thing that had ruined his day, and probably his best hat- who knew where it was now. _

_Author's Note_

Lemme know what you think.

Leave a review if it suits you.

It's always an adventure with Alice.


	4. Memories, Part One

My computer crashed, and all my chapters were lost, so I needed to start from scratch. Sorry about the delay.

Special Thanks to…

~ DaCupCakePhiles -I appreciate your support of this writing; thanks for the encouragement. Actually, thanks for pulling me out of the slums and rekindling my hope that people are reading this.

~ MaggieMagpie – Thanks for being there every step of the way with a bit of advice, and thanks for not being afraid to give me constructive critism.

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor shall I ever, own Alice in Wonderland.**

It might have been as the Mad Hatter was carrying her down into the hole that she awoke slightly. Still reeling, she dizzily peeled her eyes open, lifted her head a little and tried to look around, but everything was brushed with a coat of darkness. Sighing, she let her head fall back and was rushed by the flood of memories she had tried desperately to keep locked away.

"…_lice. Alice. Pay attention, please. Would you like to tell the class what you were dreaming about just now?"_

"_It's about that wonder-place, isn't it? Tee hee hee, how silly our poor Alice is."_

"_That's enough Gertrude, come do this problem on the board then. Alice must still be a little shaken up."_

_She blinked a few times, trying to clear her mind, but to no avail. Drawing slow circles on the top of her desk with her finger only helped her remember leaving. _

_Once Hatter had angrily stormed off, she had tried to find him, searching in all the places he usually hid. It was a game- he would become angry, then she would calm his temper; almost mother-like in fashion. But that day was different, that day he was nowhere to be found, that day she had to leave without saying goodbye. _

_Looking high and low, she had even asked the twins to help her search as they knew the better hiding places in Wonderland, but even with their assistance, they could not find him; he had vanished. Rushing through the forest calling his name, she stumbled through the underbrush and ended near the caterpillar's frequent home. Following the trails of smoke, she sought his council, but it seemed as though everyone was hiding from her- maybe it was indeed time for her to go home. _

_On that day she had boldly left Wonderland without an escort: alone and sad, she found herself in the rain as she entered into her own world. Slinking with silent trepidation, she found herself under the cover of the worn gazebo, crying under the clouded heavens. Truly, she had wished to tell them all farewell and be sent off with good thoughts and luck. It was, perhaps, a fitting end to her visits- that day in the cold, dreary rain._

"_Alice! Will you please pay attention for five minutes?" She flinched, causing snickers to fill the hollow classroom. She felt crowded by these people, and she was aware of the secret stares they threw her way; she felt out of place in the society of normal people. There was still a longing feeling she felt in her heart every time she thought about Wonderland, but it tasted dull in her mouth- the resilience was lost among the many who refused to believe. Imagination was something they treasured there- it was said that if you had the capacity, you could begin to work things with your mind, through imagination. Dreamily, she recalled staring at the ground, willing a flower to come up from between the rocks and grass. When it did not come, she slumped to the ground and rolled onto her back- it was her way of dealing with frustration._

_If only she could do that now._

_Author's Note_

Alright, here's what's going to happen. This is part one of a chapter, as you may or may not have noticed, and I am now attempting to type the second half, thinking all the while about what the heck I am going to do with this story. I want to have memories of Alice, because that, for me, is fun to write, and I enjoy backstory. From there, I will move back into the original story, of which you may or may not have liked in the first place and are now possibly screaming at me to return to. I apologize about the amount of background information, but I felt it was necessary, and stuff and things.

If you have any ideas to suggest to this addled brain of mine, then please feel free to let me know.

It's going to be a mad couple of days.

But then again, it's always an adventure with Alice.


End file.
